The High Cost of Being Right
by Mustard Lady
Summary: Andy's growing up. Jessie is dreading the days ahead and won't listen to Woody's attempts to calm her down, which leads to rash words between them. Buzz uselessly tries to get them to resolve with each other. The terrible conflict is making this uncertain time even more uncertain for their friends. Will Woody and Jessie make up, or will their anger drive away those they care about?
1. Chapter 1 Troubled Relationships

**Personally, I don't like seeing Woody in this way or setting him up like this either. But like everyone else, he _is a_ flawed character. And whether I like to admit it or not, Woody has messed up big time before. We've seen him do it! I don't own Toy Story. However, I do not regret writing this story. The title comes from an episode from the _Little House on the Prairie TV_ show. It fits too. **

**I wrote this story mostly to show how anger can hurt, especially those close to us, even in the best of families! Though I consider the princess to be a "young woman", I wrote this with Mitsy feeling as sensitive as a little child.**

 **Please read to the end, if you can handle the raw emotions in this fanfic.**

"Jessie, calm down!" Woody said impatiently. He'd been trying to remain compassionate for her but his efforts to console her lately just were not working. "We're...you're not under the bed this time. Get it through your head. You're not alone now! Andy still has us, he's kept us! We're still here. Whatever Andy chooses to do with us, just remember he cares."

Jessie rolled her eyes at him. "You just don't get it!" She cried, half angry and half frightfully. " _I_ know the signs, you don't! You're not an astrologer, cowboy. Andy's not going to keep us forever. One day...one day, he will put us away or...or give us away! I knew that someday this would happen."

"Jessie, every toy who's ever been invented has gone through the same thing, okay?" Woody said with an edge in his voice. "You're not the only one who's ever been donated." Jessie lunged at him and pinned him to the floor, glaring furiously.

"Don't you ever speak to me that way again!" She shouted. Woody had poked a sore spot with her and it had hurt her feelings excruciatingly. "And don't you dare tell me to calm down!" She exclaimed threateningly. "Just leave me alone! You hear me? _Just...leave...me...ALONE!"_ Then she stood up and scowling down at him, turned on her heel and stomped away.

"Fine! If that's the way you want it. Fine! You don't listen to me anyway. I'll be glad to leave you alone!" Woody shouted after her. "It'll give me a chance to digest this new chapter in our lives." He muttered under his breath.

* * *

 **1 Week Later**

 _Not again! Will they ever stop? We can't stand this much longer! **I** can't stand this much longer! _Mitsy grimaced, hung her head, and clenched her fists. She wasn't the only toy in the Davis household who was feeling this way. Andy was growing up, and hadn't really played with his toys for almost 2 years, and that meant only one thing for them: high anxiety. They all wondered what their destiny would be: would they stay together? Would they be thrown away? Sold? Stored away? Forgotten?

But what was worse than having to learn to accept the reality of Andy becoming a young adult, was the constant conflict between Woody and Jessie over the future. Lately, the quarreling had become more and more frequent...and heated. When a kettle was brewing, all the other toys wanted to be _anywhere_ else in the house. Some of them were irritated and angered by it, others were saddened. But for Mitsy, it wasn't only sadness and exasperation. To her, it was frightening. What was going to happen to their relationships? Was this the way it was going to be the rest of their lives? What if...what if Woody and Jessie became arch enemies for life? What if they never forgave each other?

Jessie had been down this road before and didn't want to go through it again. She could feel the dreaded day coming, and she'd give anything not to go through it again. She wasn't her usual self. She wasn't her hyper, fun-loving self, or trying to get someone to join her in mischief. Jessie seemed sad most of the time and didn't participate in much activity. She would give Woody a dark look in his presence whether he noticed it or not. She seemed to completely despise her brother now, and her friends weren't sure if Jessie would ever get over it. It had been ages since they'd all laughed together about _anything._ At first, Jessie looked to Buzz for comfort, like she always did, but when he'd tried to convince her to make up with and forgive Woody, she told Buzz to leave her alone. Every day, Buzz tried to approach her, but she always held up a halting hand, with her face both sad and stubborn. "No, Buzz," she'd say resentfully. "I will not make a move until he comes and apologizes. It was his fault!"

Everyone was dismayed at the change in Woody. Several of them like Hamm and the Potato Heads quietly accepted it as his new personality, though they missed their caring friend. But Mitsy refused to do that, she couldn't accept the sheriff's manner as permanent. Each day she hoped things would get better, but they weren't. Woody had developed a critical spirit (almost as bad as Potato Head), he was easily irritated, and looked frustrated in anger all the time. It was as if he'd given up, just quit trying to be a pillar of hope about the future. He cared less whether anyone payed attention to Jessie or not.

* * *

"Woody, what happened between you two?" Buzz had asked him. "What did you say to Jessie to make her so mad?" Woody rolled his eyes.

"I told her the truth," Woody said flatly. "And being such a hard head, she didn't want to hear it. All I said was that other toys have been through this too, that she wasn't the only one who'd ever been given away, and she practically took my head off." Woody crossed his arms and his face clouded over angrily.

"Woody, I..." Buzz started to say, but he was cut off. Woody quickly whipped his head around and glared at his best friend.

"Don't say it!" Woody snapped. "Don't tell me, Buzz, that I was too blunt. That's all she ever talks about now, that Andy will get rid of us or forget us, and I'm not going to put up with it. He's _not_ Emily."

"Woody, you should..."

"Buzz, just leave me alone. _PLEASE!_ Just leave me alone!" Woody groaned and walked away. But Buzz had detected not only frustration but also longing in his friend's voice.

"I was only trying to help," Buzz muttered to himself. "Ever since she left, he's been broken."

* * *

Mitsy, the young princess trusted Woody as their leader and enjoyed talking with him as a fatherly friend...or at least...she had...once. Whatever happened to her friend? Whatever happened to that compassionate manner which made her feel that she could talk to him about almost anything? Now, she barely spoke to him about anything unless she had to. She actually didn't want to be near him! He was just so grouchy now, and looked as if he was just waiting for someone to dare knock the chip off his shoulder. If he wasn't in a good mood, whoever was in his way had to listen to his unnaturally insensitive criticism and nit-picking. Mitsy knew that this wasn't like him, and that surely he didn't mean it, but it still hurt. And she couldn't help wondering: if Woody wasn't _trying_ to be unkind, why did he keep doing it?

Slinky too, was especially disappointed in his best pal, and very hurt by Woody's anger. He'd almost always stood up for the cowboy in the past, even if no one else did and they ridiculed him for it. He too missed the sheriff's trustworthy manner and firm friendship. He'd tried to get Woody to join him in playing Checkers, but now Woody always said no and looked so flustered. The unhappy dog would ask the cowboy if there was anything he could do for him, but Woody would rudely ignore him and tell him to beat it, which really hurt Slinky's feelings. He'd seen Woody and Jessie argue before, but this was different: they were deliberately hurtful towards one another and at this tense time of uncertainty with Andy, it was just too much to swallow. _Man, and we thought that being sold or stored away was painful to our little band._ Slinky thought over and over. _This is worse! They're making it worse by attacking each other instead of trying to hold the rest of us all together!_ Slinky sought companionship with the other toys, especially Mitsy his special side-kick. But he sorely missed his old friend, even though they lived in the same house! _Nothing's been the same since she left!_ Slinky constantly thought sadly. _I wish she was here! Woody really needs her right now. He misses her very much, that's why he's become such a grouch. I sure hope he gets better..._ _ **soon!**_

Buzz had tried time and time again to keep peace in the family. He'd tried so hard to bring Woody and Jessie to their senses, but it wasn't doing any good. They didn't want to hear his advice. They weren't ready to make up. He sadly realized that his two friends were going to have to be the ones to resolve their differences, and it better be soon. However, that looked very unlikely. Even so, he did his best to watch over the other toys who needed consolation, especially the sensitive ones.

Woody had known this time with Andy was coming, and now that it was here with all the changes that came with it, he was trying to deal with it, plus he was still aching painfully over the loss of Bo Peep who'd been sold in a yard sale a few months ago. But with Jessie always freaking out about it and frightening everyone about being forgotten, he felt pressured.

The other toys had never gone through this before, but Jessie's "preparation" of them for it wasn't the most gentle one right now. Jessie had had a kid outgrow her and was dreading going through the pain again, so much so that she didn't even know what day of the week it was. But she was reacting instead of responding, and it was frightening the other toys about what was to become of them. This was such the wrong time for the cowboy and cowgirl to be at each other's throats. With all the changes coming from Andy, they should've been trying to work together and keep their friends calm, but right now they were so wrapped up in their own minds filled with worry, frustration, and stubbornness.

* * *

"Boy, if those two are going to kill each other, I wish they'd just get it over with," Potato Head groaned during a staff meeting under Andy's bed.

"Yeah," Hamm agreed. "Then maybe we'd get some peace and quiet."

"Oh, darling, don't say that!" Mrs. Potato Head said to her husband.

"Hey now, cut out that kind of talk!" Buzz scolded the two smart aleks. "We all need a break and _you two_ are _not_ helping."

"Sorry," Potato Head mumbled.

"But, Buzz, nothing's changed and it's getting worse," Barbie protested. "Isn't there anything we can do?"

"Can't you do something, Buzz?" Rex asked.

Buzz hung his head. "I've tried, guys," he sighed. "Woody and Jessie are going to have to deal with this themselves. The more I press them, the more resentful they get of my advice. It's up to them now."

"But what if they don't?" Mitsy said sadly. "I don't think they'll ever be friends again." She started to cry a little. Bullseye lowered his head and whimpered and Barbie patted his neck. Slinky placed a friendly paw on Mitsy's lap.

"If Jessie didn't talk all the time about how hopeless the future is, it wouldn't be so bad." Slinky stated.

"What's going to happen to us?" Rex whimpered.

Buzz wasn't sure what to say. He was very realistic about life, but he couldn't bear to watch his friends continue to live depressed. He looked over his sad family who were looking up to him for answers, for _help._ "Listen," he began. "Woody and Jessie have mostly been pretty upstanding toys. They're going through a period of struggle, we all are. They'll...they'll come around." _They'd better!_ _Oh, Bo! Nothing has been the same since you've left!_

 **Some people you just can't help until they ask for it. I'm planning to put much more dialog in the chapters to come. If you don't like this story, you don't have to read it, but I really want you to be able to read the ending.**


	2. Chapter 2 Stinging Words

**I hate doing this to Woody, but you have to read to the ending of the story if you want to see the Woody we all know and love again.**

 **Buzz is like an uncle to the princess, according to me.**

 **This and other chapters will mention Bo Peep.**

 **No romance shots in this scene, just friendship, so no one gets confused with my writing.**

The argument had been very short, but it didn't make any difference. It was so ugly. Woody and Jessie had accidentally passed each other in the hallway and said just one thing to each other, and it was more than enough. Jessie gave him the most hateful look ever and snarled, "You are the most arrogant, _heartless_ person I know!"

Woody's face had turned crimson and the anger in his eyes piercing like sharp daggers. He retorted, "Oh yeah? You are the most _selfish_ person I've ever met! All you can think about is what happened to yourself!" They'd both stormed away in opposite directions. But Mitsy had been within earshot and seen the whole thing.

* * *

None of the Davis' were home, so Buzz had taken the opportunity to head downstairs to the kitchen for some tape he needed to complete a fix-it project. He was near the stairs, intending to head up on them when he was sure he heard sniffles. "It's probably just Buster," he said. But as he came even nearer, the sounds were distinct and it was clear to him that he heard weeping. He expected it to be Jessie _again._ He was preparing himself for this numberless repeat scenario when it dawned on him that it didn't sound like the cowgirl's voice. It wasn't hers...it was someone else's. "Who could that possibly be?" Buzz asked himself. He turned the corner and found Mitsy lying on the bottom stair, her hands covering her face.

"What in the world?" Buzz hadn't expected _this_ , but nonetheless, he set the tape aside and knelt on the stair bending over the princess. "Mitsy, what's the matter?" he asked, concerned. "Talk to me."

Mitsy lowered her hands and clenched them together. She sadly looked up at him, and then squeezed her eyes shut again. "Oh, Buzz," she cried. "It's all so awful! It was just so horrible!"

"What happened?" Buzz figured he knew _where_ it had come from, but he still needed to know _what._ "Can you tell me what's troubling you?" This was usually Woody's role, but lately he had obviously been neglecting it. Buzz helped Mitsy to a sitting position facing him, but she hung her head and still covered her face with her hand.

"Oh, it was so horrible," she said shakily. "Woody and Jessie had another fight."

"Yeah," Buzz mumbled. _How come that doesn't surprise me?_

"Jessie said that Woody is heartless, and he told her to her face that she is very selfish. They...they both looked and sounded so...so disgusted with each other."

"Go figure." Buzz sighed.

"But, Buzz, then Woody yelled at me! I mean...he _really_ yelled at me!" Mitsy wailed, looking pitifully into the Space Ranger's eyes.

"He what?" Buzz straightened up a bit. Woody had already gone too far, but _this_ was really pushing Buzz's already tense buttons in his protective streak. He'd tried before to protect Jessie and reason with Woody, but lately, his efforts had resulted in futility. But now that Mitsy was heavily bearing the aftermath of their bickering, this time he was absolutely determined to do _something_ to stop it. Who could tell which toy would be severely lashed out on next? So far, Woody and Jessie's anger had mostly been directed only towards each other, but apparently that wasn't so anymore.

"I heard them fighting and watched from behind the door," Mitsy explained. "I tried closing my ears to block out the cruel words, but I still heard them. Woody noticed me as he stomped into the room. Buzz, the look he gave me...it was like I didn't even know him! That dark anger, it...it was frightening!" Mitsy shuddered as she recalled the unpleasant details. Buzz placed a steady, firm hand on her arm. "It made me feel so small that I just wanted to hide somewhere, _anywhere!"_ Buzz looked at her sympathetically, feeling so bad for her. "But..." Mitsy was having difficulty speaking, "but t-that was nothing compared to w-what happened n-next!"

"... _'What are_ _ **you**_ _doing?'_ Woody growled at me. I was so startled I couldn't think straight.

' _I...I...I'_ I stammered. ' _I was just...'_

 _'Being nosy again?'_ Woody huffed at me.

' _W...what? What are you talking about?'_ I managed to say. Buzz, Woody has never, ever spoken to me like that before!

' _I'm tired of you sticking your nose into other people's business,' he said. 'Don't be such a snob!_ _So now you've taken Jessie's side, huh?_ _'_ And, Buzz, as he said it, he...he walked toward me. I could hardly stand looking at him. I've never seen Woody this way! Then...then he said with his finger pointing straight in my face, _'Stay in your own backyard, Miss Snooty Pants!'_ And...and then he went away!"

Mitsy buried her face in her hands and sobbed heavily. Buzz's first impulse was to march up those stairs and give Woody a piece of his mind, and tell Jessie to get it together. But he knew he needed to calm down before acting in haste. Besides, Mitsy needed comforting right now, she needed _him_ at the moment. Woody had obviously been upset that the princess had seen his bad side, a _very_ bad side, so knowing he couldn't deny what she'd seen, he'd lashed out on her. Buzz looked down sorrowfully at Mitsy and was angered by how she was being terribly wounded by his two very best friends. Buzz-always kind but rarely ever physically affectionate with any toy besides Jessie- wrapped his arm around her small shoulders and pulled her close to him. She clenched her hands and throbbed on his broad chest. He pressed his strong hands firmly around the little princess doll, trying somehow to protect her from what had already happened, wishing so badly that his sheltering embrace could wipe away the hurt she was consumed with. Jessie was the only one he ever comforted in this way, but lately she didn't openly receive it, reason being that she was afraid that he would try to get her to make up with Woody and she wouldn't hear of it when she insisted that he started the whole mess. Buzz could see how much Mitsy sorely needed Woody, but he wasn't here right now, doing what he should.

"Mitsy, I'm so sorry," Buzz said kindly. "You didn't do anything wrong at all, and there's no reason in the world for Woody to have hurt you like that! They were both wrong. _Woody_ was wrong. And I'm going to put a stop to it!"

"I don't think you can, Buzz!" Mitsy wailed in distress. "Woody isn't my friend anymore! He's mean now." She gulped. Buzz stiffened. He knew that _that_ had been very difficult for her to say. As long as he'd known her, Mitsy had always respected, admired, and stood up for Woody. For _her_ to openly say something _this_ negative was a leftover from something terribly wrong!

"Oh, I...I miss Bo Peep so much!" Mitsy wept. "She was such a ray of sunshine in this house, and...and nothing's... _no one_ has been the same since she was sold! At all! Buzz, her...her spot on Molly's dresser is so, just so empty without Bo. Barbie and me, the room doesn't feel the same. Bo wasn't only Molly's night light, she was ours too!" Mitsy wiped her eyes as if she was shedding tears like a human being and Buzz grimaced at the sight. "We all need her, I need her, _Woody_ needs her! We didn't just lose Bo Peep, Buzz: we've lost Woody too!"

"Shhh," Buzz whispered kindly. " _I'm_ here, princess. And so are Slink and the others, and they feel just as badly as you do. I know," he shook his miserably. "It's so hard."

"Jessie is so wrapped up in feeling sorry for herself that it's getting monotonous." Buzz cleared his throat, feeling a bit offended at this remark and Mitsy declared, "Oh! Oh, Buzz, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way, really I didn't. I know that Jessie's afraid, and it's perfectly understandable, after what happened to her. But...but it seems like...like she doesn't _want_ us to trust Andy, and that she's doing all she can to make sure we feel that way. I've never experienced my Maddie growing up, as you know. This is a whole new chapter in life, for all of us. It feels like Jessie's trying to push us into the pain of letting Andy go before we're prepared, before we have a chance to digest it. At least, that's how it feels to me. All this negative talk about the future...it's scary, Buzz."

"Yeah," Buzz said lowly, stroking her head.

"She...she and Woody...I...they hate each other now! I know they do! They only care about themselves. Why do they both have to be so bent on being the one who's right? Why? I'm tired of it all, Buzz! I'm sick and tired of the spirit of tension that everybody feels when Woody and Jessie are in the room! They don't care about us anymore. Is _this_ what we have to look forward to as Andy grows up? Is _this_ what it's all about, all we have left? Is _this_ what it's going to be like?!" Mitsy cried in desperation, searching Buzz's eyes for some sign of consolation.

"No. No, it's not," Buzz said firmly. "And no, Mitsy, it _isn't all_ we have left. We still have Andy, we're still his toys. But most importantly, we have each other."

"Do we?" Mitsy asked, her voice filled with doubt and hopelessness.

" _Yes._ Yes, we do. And I'm going to put a stop to this. Woody and Jessie have been given more than enough time to refute this. But first, I need you to try to calm down. Breathe deeply, just breathe." He patted her head as she leaned her small head up against him. "Will you be okay, down here by yourself?" he asked a few minutes later. Mitsy shrugged her shoulders. "I'm going to have a good talk with both of them." Buzz lifted her chin up with his finger, to be sure he made eye contact with her. "It'll be okay, I promise." He said, rubbing her shoulder. Mitsy bit her lip, then sat there, sniffling as Buzz ascended his major mission upstairs.

This was more than just burning ears after an argument. Mitsy was scared. Out of her raw emotions, all Jessie talked about these days was being abandoned, along with how unreasonable Woody was. That was exactly what Mitsy feared: being abandoned, only not by Andy. Her greatest fear at the moment was that Woody and or Jessie was going to leave her, and all their friends! At the pace they were going, she was firmly convinced in her mind that at some point in anger and bitterness, Woody or Jessie would walk out on them and never come back! _That_ she was afraid to tell anyone. Mitsy was afraid that if she voiced that fear, it would happen!

* * *

 **Woody is my number one favorite character in the Toy Story series. But I did read another fanfic on this website where he blew up big time at Jessie when she really scared him right when he was having a heartbreaking nightmare. I never thought I could be this mad at Woody, but reading that made me want to punch him hard!** **I'm just glad he came to his senses, but unfortunately, it was too late.**

 **It's so tense right now, especially in the next chapter just so you know. But if you keep reading and can get past the next heated scene, things will start getting better, I promise!**

 **The Bible says, "A soft answer turns away wrath. But a harsh word stirs up anger." (Proverbs 15:1)**

" **He who had knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit." (Proverbs 17:27) It was a choking wrestle inside, but Buzz kept himself in check and did not act in haste.**

" **Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles." (Proverbs 21:23)**


	3. Chapter 3 The Storm

" **Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls."**

 **(Proverbs 25:28)**

 **Okay, warning: this is where it gets bad! But things _will_ start picking up before the chapter's over!**

 **Thanksgiving is coming. The time when even some families who don't get along come together. Even families who do get along can argue, and sometimes worse than imagined. That's part of what this story is about, togetherness, deprived but craved. Sometimes one-time arguments like this can scar families for life and grow seeds of bitterness. So, my readers, what I'm trying to say is: be kind to each other and thankful for each other's presence.**

* * *

Buzz hadn't reached the top of the stairs yet when they heard footsteps coming to the front door. The two toys froze as Andy walked in, home from school. He stepped on top of Mitsy. "What is that?" He picked her up. "What are you doing down here? Maybe Molly was playing before she left." Andy headed for his room, found Buzz on the floor, brought them in, and dropped them on the floor. Jessie was on his desk and Woody on the bed. Andy threw the cowgirl on the bed, right on top of Woody! He set his backpack down and decided to grab a snack from the kitchen before doing his homework.

The minute Andy closed the door, the storm blew in! The room suddenly felt _very small_ to Andy's toys, like the walls were closing in and trapping them from escaping the heavy tension everybody could sense. "Get off of me!" Woody growled, and shoved Jessie away. She looked at him so angrily that if looks could kill, Woody would be long gone.

"I didn't like it anymore than you did!" Jessie snapped. "I told you Andy wouldn't keep us forever." Woody's eyes were hot with indignation. "I hate _you!"_ Jessie bellowed, her eyes were filled with venom.

"Good!" Woody yelled. "Now I don't have to deal with your petty little _woe is me_ moods anymore. I'm sick of you too!"

"NO! DON'T! STOP IT! Just stop it! Please, stop!" Came a cry of despair behind Jessie who turned to see who it was. Mitsy was there, wringing her hands and looking absolutely wretched. "What is the matter with you guys?!" She wailed uncontrollably, her words all running together. "Why do you guys argue all the time? As far as I can see, you're _both_ selfish! Don't you like each other anymore? What about _us?_ Don't you guys care what happens to us? That's all you guys ever do anymore, fight! Why do you always have to fight?! PLEASE, JUST STOP IT!" She jumped off the bed and fled out the door, weeping.

"Mitsy!" Slinky called and ran after his friend.

"Now see what you did?!" Jessie hollered at the cowboy.

Woody was outraged. "What _I_ did?!" Their faces were only inches away from each other.

"Knock it off!" Buzz ordered, stepping between them. "She's right, you know. You two have been at each other's throats left and right, like two tigers that have had their tails yanked. Never notice what's going on around here anymore. All you think about is yourselves! I don't suppose you've noticed how everyone keeps their distance when you two are around. Look for yourselves." Buzz stopped talking for a few minutes to let his words sink in, his face filled darkly with wrath. Woody and Jessie both looked at each other wide-eyed, as if they'd been shaken awake from a bad dream.

"You two have been making life miserable for everyone around you, in...including _me._ We've already lost someone very dear to us," Buzz glanced at Woody whose face looked pained, "and are you going to make it worse by driving others away?"Buzz said painstakingly, with hurt in his face that cut Jessie to the quick. She couldn't bear to see him that way. _"_ But especially yourselves." Buzz continued. "And now you see how it's effecting all your friends. You really need to get your act together and be somebody. I've tried to do it for you, and it just doesn't work. You've made a real mess out of things. You both need to look around you and take a good look at the damage you've done!" Buzz descended and walked out to the hall. He hated speaking to his friends in that manner, especially Jessie, who he wanted to shower with all good things, but he'd had enough of their anger, and so had their friends. It was at that moment that Woody and Jessie realized that every toy in the room was staring at them. They saw the timidity and terrible hurt in their friends' faces and it made them feel disgusted, with _themselves._ They both hung their heads sadly and stared at the bedspread.

* * *

After what felt like an eternity of tense silence, Jessie slowly looked up at her big brother, but he still kept his eyes downcast. "Oh, Woody! What have we done?" she sighed sadly.

"Too much," Woody mumbled. "We've said things to each other that we had no business saying, things I never dreamed I'd find myself saying to anyone!" Woody looked remorsefully at his sister. "Jessie, I'm so ashamed of myself! I feel like I've been traveling in circles."

"I'm ashamed of myself too. I feel like I've been running around in a bad dream, unable to wake myself up."

"I had no reason in the world to treat you so harshly. You're probably scared to death, not knowing what Andy's going to do with us. I can't take back the horrible things I've said, no matter how much I wish I could! I've been a stupid, angry jerk! I was very wrong. I'm deeply sorry that I hurt you." Woody's eyes were no longer filled with frustration and anger, but shame, _tenderness,_ and hurt. But they were now _the_ eyes that everyone knew they could trust when they looked at the cowboy.

"I was wrong," Jessie said, tugging on her braid. "Sure, I'm scared, but I was so wrapped up in _my_ fear that I didn't stop to think about how much I was making everyone else fret. I've been worrying them sick about the future, instead of preparing them for _whatever happens._ I've been acting like a provoked, vicious rattlesnake. And I called you things that I know are not true! I'm so sorry, Woody! No, sorry doesn't even come close!" They both fell silent again, hanging their heads.

"I have no right in the world to ask this, and there's no reason in the world that you should," Woody said nervously, "B-but, Jess? Is it possible...could you ever forgive me?"

"Well, since you apologized," Jessie said, "I'll forgive you, but only if you'll forgive me." She hesitated for a moment, almost afraid to, but then she saw Woody looking at her with the same kind eyes that she'd thought were gone. That broke the ice for her, and Jessie swooped him up in a huge, sisterly, bear hug, just like the day he met her. Woody laughed and wrapped his arms around her. "Just saying nice things isn't going to make things all better." Jessie said glumly. "We've done some terrible things to our friends, and they might not be ready to forgive us yet. Come on, cowboy. We have some major repair work to do!" Jessie exclaimed, pulling his hand.

"Right behind you, partner." Woody grinned, giving her a playful smack on the shoulder. The both of them had secretly missed each other but wouldn't admit it. They'd kept bringing up in their minds the stinging words they'd said and that just fanned the flames in their grudges toward each other. _NOW_ as they held each other's hands, the touch felt light and carefree instead of heavy and filled with drudgery…

* * *

"I would've been more than glad to knock you two hard heads together!" Potato Head snorted. "Then we would've gotten some peace and quiet."

"Yeah, but Buzz kept denying us that pleasure, for all the good it did," Hamm agreed.

"This is one time that I wish you'd ignored orders and followed your impulses," Woody said sheepishly. "It would've saved everyone else a lot of trouble."

"Watch what you say, Sheriff," Hamm said, "we might take you up on that next time!"

"You've been so nasty to each other," Mrs. Potato Head stated. "Yes, pressures build, and those unpleasant misunderstandings make things complicated, but you should've talked it over instead of letting it drag on." Woody and Jessie nodded their heads quietly.

"Yes. I don't like confrontations, and I can't bear all this uncertainty!" Rex wailed. Jessie hugged the poor, shaken up dinosaur and Woody placed his hand on his shoulder.

"I know, Rex." Woody said encouragingly. "I'm truly sorry. _That_ won't happen again."

"A-are you sure?" Rex asked.

"'Course!" Jessie smiled.

"I couldn't believe what I saw and heard!" Barbie exclaimed. "PLEASE don't ever say those kinds of things again!" Barbie covered her face with her hands and Jessie came over and hugged her affectionately. Woody came over too and patted the smaller doll's shoulder.

"I'm sorry that we hurt you, Barbie," Jessie smiled sadly. "Please forgive us."

"Only if you promise not to do it again, not to say hateful things to each other. When you're unkind to one another, your friends feel it too! Almost as if you'd said the words _to us!"_

"We promise!" Woody and Jessie said together.

* * *

"Oh, Mitsy, please don't cry anymore," Slinky said sadly.

"It's all right, Mitsy," Buzz said softly, patting her arm. "I think everything will be okay now." _I hope!_

"How do you _know_ that, Buzz?" Mitsy cried, crumpled on the floor with her face buried in her arms. "You heard them. You saw what happened. They'll never be friends again!"

Buzz stood up. "You stay with her, Slink," he said, and walked back toward Andy's room. He was always at a loss when it came to dealing with hysterical females, except Jessie. He was surprised to be greeted by Woody and Jessie! His heart lightened when he saw their smiles. He'd thought he'd never see those familiar smiles that were so dear to him again.

"Buzz, we're so sorry," Jessie sighed. She looked painstakingly into his dark blue eyes and his face relaxed in relief.

"Both of us, Buddy," Woody agreed. "I've been a hard-nosed jerk!"

"So have I," Jessie nodded unhappily.

"It would be you who would make us come to our senses," Woody said. "Though I wish you'd just shaken the tar out of me before now."

Buzz smiled. "Well, I'm glad to see that you two aren't so mule-headed that you can't be broken of it. But I think there's a certain young princess around here who desperately needs to hear that from your own lips. She's under Molly's bed."

"Let's go, Sheriff," Jessie said, pulling on Woody's wrist. "Let's set some things straight so she'll be assured we aren't going to kill each other."

"Jess, you don't really think she _actually_ believes that," Woody said shakily. "D...do you?"

"The way we were carrying on?" Jessie said skeptically. "I wouldn't be too sure." But they never got the chance because Andy was almost right at the top of the stairs. All the toys hid in the bedroom and couldn't do very much while he did his homework in there.

* * *

Slinky did manage to sneak back in really fast when Andy took a bathroom break. He found the others in the toy box. The dog was surprised to see the cow folk dolls back to their normal selves. He nervously approached them. "Hey, Slink!" Woody greeted cheerfully. "Good to see you, bud. Come on over." Woody patted the video cassette cover next to him. Slinky stared at them, unsure of what to do.

"It's okay, Slinky boy," Jessie smiled. "We ain't gonna bite 'cha!" Slinky raised his eyebrows skeptically and glanced at Buzz. The Space Ranger grinned and nodded, and the dog noticed how Buzz's features were no longer worn and heavy laden, but smooth with relief as if a heavy burden had been lifted off his back. Slinky bit his lip and trotted over and sat down next to Woody, his once best pal.

"How are ya doing, Slink?" Woody asked in a low tone. The dog hung his head.

"Not so good," He mumbled. Woody rubbed the dog's neck and Jessie knelt down next to him. "I-I've missed ya, Woody. A lot. But you...you just haven't been here, not the _real_ you! The Woody and Jessie I used to know don't treat their friends like dirt." The cowboy and the cowgirl glanced unhappily at each other.

"I know, pal. And I'm sorry," Woody said sadly. "Deeply sorry. You've tried to be a friend to me and I pushed you away. There's no excuse for it. Will you forgive me?" Slinky looked up at his faithful cowboy that he'd thought he lost. This appeared to be the Woody he'd always known, but...but still he'd seen a different side, a side that was harsh and angry, a side that was intimidating.

"I...I...I'd like to," Slinky said cautiously. "I want to, more than anything, but...but how do I know you won't let yourselves get that low again?" Woody grimaced, then bit his lip. Yes, he shouldn't expect even Slinky to forgive him that quickly, yet the sheriff had hoped the dog would overlook what had happened and trust him again.

"Aw, Slink," Jessie sighed. "That's all over! We were drownin' in a pool of rashness and self-pity, but we're back now! It took the strongest, most courageous toy of Andy's to give us a good shake up," she smirked at Buzz, who started rubbing his chin and cleared his throat when she met his eyes. "But it surely taught us a lesson. It's okay, Slink. You can believe Woody. He's tellin' the truth." Slinky's face was wrought with a mix of hope and disappointment. He longed with all his heart to trust Woody again, and it's not like he hadn't seen the cowboy make some pretty bad blunders before. But the dog was still afraid.

"Listen to me you two," Slinky said with quivers in his voice. "Andy's growin' up on us. We can't escape that fact anymore. And we don't know what he'll do with us. But this is the time that we all need one another more than ever, and you guys nearly broke our tight-knit circle of love and friendship. At the time when we needed ya the most, all this uncertainty wearin' on our nerves, ya weren't here for us! Now, are you two just going to go around and bite everyone's heads off, or do we stick together, no matter what?!" Slinky looked directly at Woody and Jessie, waiting for an answer. They smiled at his honest, caring abruptness. He was so right.

"We stick together!" Woody exclaimed, rubbing his little buddy's head. "I give my word!" He said emphatically, locking his eyes with the dog's so that Slinky would know he was sincere. Slinky weakly smiled at his friend.

"You betcha! No _matter what!"_ Jessie chimed in. Slinky panted happily and jumped at the cowboy, licking his face just like Buster, making Woody laugh while Hamm and Potato Head rolled their eyes.

"It's good you're happy again, but _P-lease!_ " Potato Head muttered. "Now don't go getting sloppy on us."

"Leave him alone," Mrs. Potato Head grabbed her husband's arm. "He's been carrying a very heavy burden. He needs some loosening up." Then she pulled her husband's head toward her and kissed his cheek. Jessie smiled mischievously and started tickling Slinky's coils, bringing up some long buried giggles out of his throat as he pounded the ground happily with his paw. The happy sounds were music to not only Woody's ears, but also everyone else's.

* * *

" **It is honorable for a man to stop striving, since any fool can start a quarrel." (Proverbs 20:3)**

" **Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive." (Proverbs 17:28)**

" **Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones."** **(Proverbs 16:24)**


	4. Chapter 4 The Search

**Mentions Bo Peep again in this chapter.**

* * *

That evening, Andy's family was gone to attend a baseball game he was in and they'd taken Buster with them. The toys were enjoying the freedom they could _now feel_ again in their domain. "Hey, has anybody seen Mitsy?" Rex asked. "I can't find her anywhere! We were supposed to play a video game together earlier."

"That's right. She never did come back, did she?" Mrs. Potato Head stated.

"I haven't seen her since..." Barbie stopped herself. "Since this afternoon."

"She's probably run away," Hamm stated casually. "And who could blame her?"

"Now, hold on. Mitsy wouldn't do that," Woody corrected the pig. "And how can you say it that way, as if it was an every day occurrence?" He asked in aggravation.

"No, she wouldn't," Jessie agreed. "She likes it here too much. She'd never leave on her own, no matter what happened."

"I don't know about that," Slinky said skeptically. His friends gaped at him. "She was mighty upset this afternoon. She was crying up a river."

"She surely was," Buzz piped in. "I tried to tell her it was going to be okay, but she was so distraught that she wouldn't believe me. She said today that you were mean, Woody, and that you weren't her friend anymore." Woody gasped and hung his head in shame. Buzz didn't want to hurt his friend, but he knew he needed to hear the truth. "She was absolutely convinced that you and Jessie really hate each other and would never reconcile." Woody and Jessie didn't like Buzz mentioning this in front of everybody, but if they were honest, they didn't really care at this point. There was no point in hiding what had already been exposed out in the open.

"She told me that if this was the way things were going to be from now on, that she didn't want any part of it." Slinky said sadly. "She said that she couldn't handle it anymore, and that she'd rather be all alone again than live like this."

"What?" Jessie gasped, panic written on her face.

"She said _that_?" Woody cried. _What a jerk I've been! How can it be that I've driven her away like this? Poor darling. I've shattered her. Will we be able to put her back together? I hope we're not too late._

"Why didn't you say so earlier?" Mrs. Potato Head asked.

"I was going to," Slinky said defensively. "But when I came back in the toy box, so much was going on, then Andy came back in, and..."

"Slink, go see if you can find her. And bring her here," Buzz commanded. Slinky obeyed. He was gone for about ten minutes, then returned with a worried look on his face.

"What is it, Slink? What's the matter?" Woody asked nervously. He had a terrible sinking feeling inside.

"I didn't find her!" Slinky panted frantically. "She ain't anywhere in Molly's bedroom and I even looked outside the window."

"Then, then that means..." Woody gulped.

"It's all your fault, Woody," Potato Head said flatly. "You and your loud mouth."

"This is on you, _Sheriff,"_ Hamm glared at the cowboy. "You've really blown it."

"I know. Believe me, _I_ know!" Woody hung his head in shame. He covered his face with his hand. Everything bad that had happened today had been because of him! And boy, the guilt he was feeling was making his stomach churn. After every sharp word he'd said to Jessie, pushing his friends like Slinky and Buzz away, and now Mitsy, the little princess who looked up to him and admired him was in an unstable, emotional state, probably heading into unforeseen dangers...ugh...it was all Woody's fault. His fault. And the reality was sickening to him.

"Wait!" Jessie piped up. "Everyone, listen to me, and you listen good!" She used the most threatening tone she could come up with, and her friends zipped it. The toys all knew better than to cross the line with the cowgirl when she used _that_ voice. She stood beside her brother. "This was just as much my fault as it was Woody's. Understand? Ya got it?! I'm responsible for this trouble too, and you have no right to say it was _all_ his doing. I've been pretty nasty too. Yes, I was wrong and I really see that now. But that's not the most important thing right now. What are y'all standing around for? Don't you even realize what's happened? We've got to find her!" Buzz stared at Jessie, admiring her courage to admit her faults, and her determination to make things right, and her astounding defense of the cowboy of all people who'd been unkind to her!

"Jessie's right, guys." Slinky spoke up. "Mitsy may be in trouble, and we've got to find and help our pal."

"We need to find her and bring her back, where she belongs," Woody said in a determined voice. _Please let her be all right._

"We need to break up into groups." Buzz said, trying to gather an assemblage of order. "Woody, you take Bullseye and Jessie with you. Slinky, you and Rex come with me. Hamm, you take our threesome team (the three Aliens). Barbie, you and the Potato Heads search together. Sarge, you take your recruits. Okay, let's go!" The toys spread out. They searched all the rooms in the house, including the basement, but there was no sign of the small princess doll. They all met back in Andy's room. If the Davis' hadn't taken Buster with them to the ball game, Woody would've assigned the dog to help them.

* * *

"Woody, I hate to say this," Jessie spoke in a low tone, touching his shoulder when they met back in Andy's bedroom, "but I think she actually _did_ run away."

"If anything happens to her, I'll _never_ forgive myself," Woody said, his voice cracking. "I treated you just as badly, Jess, and I'm so sorry. I...I was supposed to take care of all you guys, protect you. And what do I do?"

"Woody, we'll find her," Jessie said determinedly. "We're a family, and we stick together. The portrait isn't complete until all the members are there."

Woody didn't answer. He couldn't. He felt like a heavy stone inside. What in the world had possessed him to be so... _heartless?_ Pride, stubbornness, anger, hurt? Oh, how he wished that Bo Peep was here! She'd know what to do. But wait, that was part of his problem. He missed her so much and the pain was still pretty fresh. He had been so wrapped up in feeling sorry for _himself,_ the very thing he'd accused Jessie of! Bo was always the one who could calm Woody down when he was flustered and lift up his spirits when he was down in the dumps, but she wasn't here now. Still, what would she say to him at a time like this? Thoughts began filling his mind and he was sure he could almost hear her gentle, composed voice:

Bo Peep: _"Woody, you've been a real jerk."_

Woody: **"** _Check. I believe we have established that."_

Bo Peep: _"Mitsy will forgive you, no doubt about that."_

Woody: _"You think so?"_

Bo Peep: _"Yes. She respects you, looks up to you, she loves you like a daughter loves a father."_

Woody: _"Some father!"_

Bo Peep: _"She'll forgive you. But, the slashing words you said-not only to her, but also to Jessie and the others-aren't the kind you can just put a Band-Aid on and it's all better. This is going to take patience, thoughtfulness, and a great deal of love. Woody dear, the answer for you to this issue isn't forgiveness. It's trust!"_

Woody: _"You're right, Bo, as always. How do you do it, always so insightful? Always just the right thing to say?"_ It was Rex's voice that snapped him back to the present.

"Did you find her?" Rex asked wildly.

"No," Jessie answered, shaking her head. Bullseye sadly nudged her arm and she hugged him unhappily.

"Our regrets, Sir. But we have nothing to account for of our missing lady," Sarge reported to Woody. "We searched high and low, but no trace."

"She couldn't have gotten too far by herself, being so petite and dainty," Buzz stated.

"I wish you you wouldn't talk that way about her, as if she was made of glass! She's not!" Slinky snapped. Everyone grew tense at the dog's unexpected outburst. Slinky hung his head shamefully. "Oh, I'm sorry, Buzz. It's just that, you make her sound so helpless when you talk that way, and when I think of what harmful hooligans or creatures could be out there, I..."

"It's okay, Slink," Buzz patted the dog's head. "It's all right, Buddy."

"Guys! Guys!" Barbie called and came rushing up to them.

"Barbie, what is it? Did you find her?" Woody asked with hope.

"No, but look what I found in Molly's room." She was holding a bolt of royal blue cloth. Woody took it gently in his hands, as if an infant was being handed to him.

"That's her cape," he almost whispered. Then it struck him: _If she was dead serious about leaving, she wouldn't have_ _left this behind_ _!_

"She can't be far then!" Buzz exclaimed. "Did anyone check outside?"

* * *

 **Just so you know, Mitsy isn't made like Bo. She's more like Woody and Jessie with the plastic face, arms and hands, and the cloth body. But she's short, just comes up to Buzz's shoulder. She's also more ladylike and built smaller than Jessie. This was in case anyone was confused about what Slinky had said.**


	5. Chapter 5 The Accident

"No," the whole gang said.

"I think we'd better." Buzz suggested. "Stay with your partners. Come on!" Buzz, Rex, and Slinky checked the sides of the house and the neighbor's yard. Hamm and his group searched inside the garage while the others scanned the backyard. Woody and Jessie searched in the front lawn. Bullseye was sniffing the driveway, then pulled Woody's string.

"What is it, boy?" Woody asked, as the horse tilted his head toward the driveway. "Jess, come on." They followed the horse. "Where is she, Bullseye?" Bullseye looked straight up. Woody and Jessie raised their eyes to the sky.

"Woody, look!" Jessie shrieked, pointing up above the garage. Woody gasped. There, above the light on the garage roof in the dark, sitting on the gutter was Mitsy.

"Oh no!" Woody whispered and his heart started pounding. _How did she ever get up there?_ The trio walked closer so they could see her better. _Has it really come to this?_ _It can't be that...that...gulp...is she...is she planning to throw herself off the roof?_

"Mitsy? Mitsy, it's us!" Jessie called. The princess slowly raised her head a little and saw them, but didn't speak. Her hands were folded dejectedly in her lap. _So she didn't really run away,_ Jessie thought with relief, _she's just been hiding all this time._ Buzz, Rex, and Slinky arrived.

"Woody, did you find her?" Buzz asked breathlessly. Woody didn't answer and Buzz followed his gaze. He gulped and clenched his fists. "Mitsy, what are you doing up there?" he asked.

"Sitting," Mitsy groaned. "and thinking."

"You shouldn't be up there." Buzz scolded. "It's extremely dangerous. What do you think you are doing?"

"Trying to get some peace! _That's_ what!" The princess cried with an edge in her voice, hanging her head, avoiding eye contact.

"Mitsy!" Rex shrieked and started trembling.

"Honey, you need to get down from there," Woody finally managed to speak. "Please. You really need to. You're not safe up there!"

"NO!" Mitsy shouted back and turned her head away from her friends, biting her lip. "I'm not a child. I'll come down when I'm ready."

"Mitsy, why are you up there?" Jessie asked. "It isn't safe."

"It's restful up here. It's _quiet!_ Up here no one attacks their used-to-be friend the minute they walk in the door!" Mitsy insisted, her voice breaking with emotion. "I can't stand to see my friends deliberately being unkind and nasty to each other! We can't live like this anymore. Every morning when we wake up, we're filled with dread for what the day holds."

"Sweetie, it's okay now," Jessie tried to say soothingly, trying to hide the quivers in her voice.

The princess shook her head. "No! I am _not_ coming down until you two make up and are friends again! I mean it!" Mitsy cried out, her voice quaking, and looking at the cowboy and the cowgirl. "Jessie, _please_ don't go away!"

"No, no. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." Jessie didn't understand that her friend meant abandonment.

"Oh, Woody. I've missed you so much! Why did you yell at me? What did I do?" Mitsy stared painstakingly down at the cowboy.

"When did I yell at you?" Woody asked, afraid of her answer.

"Today, after you and Jessie argued the first time. You caught me nearby and called me a snob, and told me to keep my nose in my own business. You called me...oh...I can't even say it!" Mitsy choked, and hung her head sadly. Woody looked up at her horrified, his face filled with regret and sympathy. He could not believe his ears! Had he really done that? How could he? But he was not prepared for what she said next. "Woody, please don't leave us! You belong here! Please stay. Please don't leave us! Don't leave!" Mitsy sobbed. "We need you. Both of you."

"Hey! What? What's all this about?" Woody asked, dismayed. "Who said anything about leaving?"

"Because you and Jessie hate each other!" Woody felt like someone had socked him with a knuckle sandwich right in the stomach. His heart was filled with shame and remorse. Mitsy trusted Woody and loved Jessie with all her heart. Now, for the first time in their lives together, they'd given her reason not to. They'd really blown it.

 _Bo, you were right!_ Woody cried inside. _The issue here is trust!_

"You called Woody heartless, Jessie. You know that's not true. If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't have you for a friend." Jessie hung her head shamefully. "Jessie, I...I'm sorry for what happened with your owner, and I know you're probably scared," Mitsy said, looking at the cowgirl. "But...but you're not alone now. We're here with you. This is a scary time for us too!" Jessie nodded. It seemed that a certain someone had recently tried to tell her that very same thing.

"Listen, Princess. You need to get down from there. You can't stay up there forever." Buzz said firmly, his Space Ranger take-control-of-the-situation mode kicking in. Mitsy flashed him a pained look of bewilderment.

"Why not?!" She wailed. "There's no reason for me to go back in the house, where friends can't get along together. Tell me, Buzz...someone! There's no purpose to...what's the point of me coming down if we're all just going to fall apart in the end?!" She was trembling with emotion.

"Buzz, it's my fault," Woody whispered to his friend. "Let me try to talk to her. Besides, you're not getting anywhere."

"I'll bring her down," Buzz said, and he walked to the basketball hoop, intending to boost himself up to the basket using Bullseye, then hoist himself up to the gutter above the front door and very cautiously make his was across to the garage.

"Mitsy, honey, look at me," Woody said firmly but gently. She slowly obeyed. "Jessie and I do _not_ hate each other! We care about each other, and we care about you. What we did was very wrong, but we've reconciled with each other. We're friends again, and we want you to come back to Andy's room so that we can all be together, like we should be! Now come on down from there and we'll talk about this. Hold it, wait. Wait for Buzz to bring you down, but please do come down so we can talk. Please." He looked at her with the familiar, caring eyes she'd grown to love. It made her feel slightly comforted. But yet, she was still sensitive and afraid from all that had happened. She hesitated, looking uneasy.

"It's okay, Mitsy. Come on," Jessie smiled, encouragingly.

"O-okay," Mitsy said shakily in resignation. "I'm c-coming." Buzz had almost reached the gutter and would need to cautiously inch his way along to reach the princess once he got up there. She was trying to back up away from the edge of the garage roof when a pigeon just happened to swoop by through the air, directly above, nearly knocking her off the roof! "Aaaahhh!" Mitsy screamed, flipping over. She held on as tightly as she could, but her plastic left hand slid right off and she was barely hanging on, high above the concrete driveway. All the toys gasped. "Somebody help me!"

"Hang on, Mitsy! I'm coming!" Buzz called, trying to hurry without falling off.

"Aah! I can't look!" Rex exclaimed and turned his head.

Mitsy's one good hand was slipping on the cool metal, and it was obvious she was going to fall any second. "I can't hang on!" She cried out, panicking. Buzz wasn't going to make it in time. Woody darted forward until he stood directly below her. He was _not_ going to let her fall and hit that concrete and hurt herself. Jessie grasped her own chest and was hyperventilating. She felt as if she was watching a heart-racing movie scene. She shook her head, hoping it would disappear, but it didn't!

"I'm slipping!" Mitsy cried, flailing her feet wildly in the air. She could see the Space Ranger, but he was still aways off from reaching her. "Buzz, help! Hurry, please! Help me!"

"Mitsy, let go! Don't worry, I'll catch you!" Woody called up to her.

"I...I can't! I'm afraid!" Her eyes were wide as saucers, filled with fear. She didn't have the willpower to obey him, too afraid to let go and too afraid not to.

"Mitsy! Mitsy, listen to me." Woody insisted. "I love you! You're my friend, and I'm not going to let you get hurt. Just trust me. Please. Let go!" Mitsy looked down at him, still afraid to let go, yet coming closer to falling by the second. She squeezed her eyes shut, grimacing, took a deep breath and let go. Down, down she tumbled fast through the air screaming. Jessie screamed too and covered her eyes, and so did Slinky. Buzz was so stunned that he froze at his spot on the roof, watching in shock from his vantage point. Bullseye rushed to Woody and bounced under the cowboy to soften the impact, just as the princess landed safely...right in Woody's arms! Woody gasped profusely and clutched her close to himself, thankful she was safe. She was trying to catch her breath. Then he looked down at her, relieved. Mitsy, gasping, glanced up at him and saw Woody...smiling, _that_ same warm, friendly, kind smile, the smile she'd missed so much. He was back! Their friend, the _real_ Woody, the Woody they all knew and loved, was back!

But her face grew sad. "Oh, Woody!" She cried and threw her arms around his neck, sobbing half in hurt feelings, half in relief.

"Ssh. It's okay. I've got ya," he crooned as he wrapped her cape around her shoulders. "Good boy, Bullseye. Thanks a lot, pal." The horse panted back happily and wagged his tail.

Buzz slid down the drain and informed everyone else that Mitsy had been found. Jessie, Slinky, and Rex ran to Woody and Bullseye cheering. "You're a hero, Sheriff," Jessie smiled, then she hopped onto her horse behind Woody as Bullseye carried them safely back into the house.

* * *

Even after they'd made it back upstairs and Woody and Jessie dismounted the happy horse, the princess still clung to the cowboy tightly as he carried her in his arms, bridal style. She'd seen the _real_ Woody again, and was hoping to keep him there if she didn't let him go. Yet she was afraid to open her eyes, afraid he'd be gone, plus she was still shook up from everything. "Aw. Hey? Come on, honey. It's all right now," Woody said soothingly.

"That's right, sweet girl," Jessie said sympathetically, patting her friend's shoulder. "Cheer up. We ain't goin' nowhere." Mitsy hid her face deeper into the sheriff's shoulder, grasping for every word being spoken, hoping her friends were truly back, but still nervous. But her weeping was finally dying down. Soon, Buzz had all the other toys going about their business. Half an hour had passed when he decided to check on his other friends. Slinky really wanted to go with him.

"It'll be all right, Slink," Buzz said. "If Mitsy needs your company, I'll come get you."

"Oh, okay." Slinky sighed, and sat down.

* * *

"So, you're... _not_ angry with each other now?" Mitsy asked, still feeling a little nervous.

"No. No, we're not," Jessie smiled, with her arm extended around her friend's shoulder.

"Not at all," Woody said cheerfully. He and Jessie had taken Mitsy aside into Molly's room where they could have some privacy and get her calmed down. They also apologized and explained things. "We're tremendously sorry for what we did, Little Bit. By hurting each other, we really hurt you too! That was very wrong. Can you ever forgive us?"

"You're my friends," Mitsy said. "Of course, I forgive both of you. But, but I'm..."

"We know. You're still afraid," Jessie finished. "It's okay. We completely understand."

"That's right," Woody agreed, scooting closer to the princess. "And you have a lot of guts...uh, well, uh...you've got a lot of courage to forgive us after all we did and said!"

"I know that we all argue sometimes. But, you won't...it'll never get _t-that_ bad again. W-will it?" Mitsy looked at both of them pleadingly. "I couldn't stand it if you did!" She slightly shivered.

"No, no," Woody said calmly, shaking his head. "It won't!" Mitsy raised her eyebrows, trying to believe him.

"You think after what just happened tonight, that we're gonna forget an expensive lesson in a few weeks or months? Aw, no. We'll do our best to make sure that it _never_ happens again!" Jessie exclaimed. "We _promise_!"

"Right," Woody smiled.

Mitsy smiled. "I know that you keep your promises, even if you regret some of them later," she slightly chuckled. "I just wish none of this ever happened at all!"

"We all do," Jessie said sympathetically, stroking Mitsy's long hair as she leaned her head on Jessie's shoulder. "And we're going to stick together, _no matter what A_ ndy chooses to do with us."

"Yes! Some of the days ahead might get rough," Woody said, "and we might have to knock some sense into each other at times, and probably more than once. But we're going to be here for each other, all of us." Mitsy gazed thoughtfully at the sheriff. These were the words that she, the Potato Heads, and all the rest had needed to hear so badly recently. This conversation wasn't meaningless because Woody and Jessie always kept their word, no matter what.

"Everything all right here?" Buzz asked as he appeared.

"Right as rain," Woody smiled, patting the princess's shoulder. Mitsy raised her head up.

"Yep." Jessie added. Buzz felt warm inside seeing his cowgirl back to her old self. It had been ages since he'd seen her lovely smile, and her eyes bright with eagerness. He blushed at her smile. Then he looked at Mitsy questioningly. She looked fondly at Jessie and Woody, then glanced back at the Space Ranger.

"Yes, Buzz," Mitsy smiled happily. "Everything's okay now. We're friends again!" And the three _friends_ enjoyed a tight group hug. Woody and Jessie squeezed the princess between them and she giggled cheerfully, for the first time in days.

 _Good work, cowboy,_ Buzz motioned in Sign Language with his fingers to Woody.

* * *

Later that night when everyone was in bed, Woody was standing on the windowsill with his sister, their minds replaying over and over again all the preventable stress that had been going on in the Davis household lately, in the toys' lives. He and the cowgirl had both been 'hiding in their caves', avoiding each other, nursing their grudges despite their cravings for the other's company, and always talking either sadly or negatively about whatever. They'd been very harsh to each other, and not realizing how much it was draining those they cared about the most. They'd nearly driven away a friend, and Mitsy had almost...she could have...they almost lost her tonight! She could have been seriously hurt, if not killed! Just the reality of what had transpired with the accident, too close to a tragedy still made them shudder. Woody gazed thoughtfully at Jessie. "Jess, if I ever become that arrogant and that unreasonable again, will you promise to remind me of how we felt and what almost happened tonight?" He asked.

Jessie smiled. "I was just going to ask you the same thing."

"So will I," Buzz spoke up, as he suddenly appeared. "You can count on it!"

"Thanks, Buzz." Woody grinned, then exhaled heavily. "I'm going to hold you to that."

"Hey, that's what friends are for," Buzz said passionately.

 **I don't ever intend to portray our favorite toys as that heartless again! Except Potato Head. Well, he's not exactly heartless, but he is very arrogant at times. I still feel bad, bringing up the dark side of these toys' hearts, but I hope the ending was a great relief to you.**


End file.
